Mocha Almond Crisps

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups oatmeal, ground in blender
1/3 cup ground almonds
1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons coffee powder
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped almonds

Cream butter until creamy, blend in sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until well blended. In a separate bowl mix together ground oatmeal, ground almonds, flour, salt, soda, and coffee powder. Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture until well blended. Finally mix in chocolate chips and chopped almonds. Chill for one hour before baking at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes, or until golden around the edges.

This cookie recipe was designed to highlight each of my parent's favorite flavor passions. Mom's infatuation is nuts, hide her stash of almonds, and forgive the pun, but she goes a little nutty. My dad's devotion to chocolate over the years has lent itself to countless gallons of ice cream, cakes and cookies featuring the dark wonder. Finally, my parents morning would not start properly without that freshly brewed aroma of coffee wafting through the kitchen. Here's to you mom and dad, enjoy!

1 cup butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup ganulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp b.powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup orange flavor sweented dried cranberries
3/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup coconut
1 tsp grated orange rind
1/2 cup white chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter, sugars, and orange rind till creamy. Add eggs. Gradually beat in flour mixture (flour, b.powder, salt). Stir in oatmeal, coconut, white chocolate chips, and cranberries. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto silpat lined cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly brown around edges but centers are still soft. Cool on baking sheet for about 2 minutes and remove to wire racks to cool completely. For a different texure, you can refrigerate the dough.

As a hectic mom and pediatrician, I bake to relax. My husband normally does not eat sweets but one day he told me about a cookie that he absolutely loved. Well, you know what they say, you can earn a man's heart through his stomach. After several attempts, we came up with this recipe. I added the orange flavoring and some coconut for a little twist. He says they are better than the original cookie he fell in love with it! Not bad, coming from the man who has been my harshest food critic! Eating these cookies makes my husband and 2 kids happy, which is why he named them "Dr. Yvette's feel good cookies".

My summers in Italy as a child are the inspiration for my cookie - the Nuttyrella.

1 stick of butter
1 cup of sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
2 eggs
1 cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped hazelnuts
1 cup of nutella chips
1/2 Peruggina unsweetened chocolate powder

Make Nutella chips (this needs to be prepared beforehand): Take Nutella chocolate spread and put some in a small plastic bag. Cut a tip of the bag so that you can squeeze the Nutella out of it. Squeeze little drops of the Nutella onto wax paper. You want them shaped like chocolate chips. Then freeze them. Once the Nutella chips are frozen, preheat oven to 375 degrees. For batter: Mix all ingredients together except for the Nutella chips. After the mixture is fully mixed, add cold nutella chips (the way you would regular chocolate chips). Spoon out mixture to form cookies onto a greased cookie sheet.

Combine:
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup oats
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup crushed corn flakes
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix all the above ingredients well. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for about 22 minutes. Immediately transfer cookies with a spatula to a wire rack.

This is a recipe I received from my Aunt Betty many years ago. It is a holiday favorite of mine, but I bake them year round. They are a true delight with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of tea.

I'm not a major Elvis fan, but I've always admired his taste in food, particularly the sandwich he's famous for. I hope he would have liked this cookie (and liked the chocolate chips too!). I wanted to make some cookies that had more whole grains, and I think these fit the bill while still being tender and delicious! You can also substitute sunflower seed butter for the peanut butter if you or someone in your family has allergies.

Peanut Butter, Banana and Honey Cookies

1 c. whole grain pastry flour
1 c. white flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. quick oats
1 c. light brown sugar
1 stick butter, softened
2 eggs
2 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 c. honey
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Stir together the flours, baking powder and oats. In the bowl of a mixer cream the butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time, scaping the bowl after each addition. Add bananas, peanut butter, honey and vanilla and mix. Add dry ingredients and mix on lowest speed (do not overmix). Add chocolate chips, if using, and fold in with spatula. Drop onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper by rounded tablespoonfuls and bake for 25-28 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet after two minutes and place on rack. Makes about 40 cookies.

2 sticks margarine
1 cup creamy Reeses peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces Reeses pieces
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine margarine, peanut butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in Reeses Pieces and chocolate chips. Cover and chill dough in refrigerator 2 to 3 hours. Form dough into balls. Bake at 325 on a greased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes and remove from cookie sheet.

I am entering this recipe on behalf of my wife, Karen. Much like the recipe, what makes these cookies so special is simple. First, there is the truly amazing woman who makes them -- the main ingredient. The constant throughout our marriage (five years on June 1) has been the perfect ratio of love, energy, and effort that Karen puts into everything that touches our life. These cookies are a perfect example. When she makes a batch, you can taste the love that goes into them -- right down to the gooey peanut-buttery center (selected as the main ingredient because she knows that our son, Tyler (3), and I love peanut butter). Second, is the effect these cookies have beyond their delectable taste. Karen often makes them with Tyler while our other son, Payton (8 months), happily watches the show. In other words, the process of making these cookies is a bonding and learning experience. Also, Karen's cookies bring people together -- there is often an eager crowd around my secretary's desk when word gets around that I have brought in a fresh batch. These cookies also give us a chance to stay connected with our neighbors, who come running to the door when they see the Nelson family with full plates to deliver. Finally, I, an admitted workaholic, rush home as fast as I can when I hear that our cookie supply is running low. (Alternatively, they make an excellent midnight snack for an especially late night!) Karen's cookies taste better each day I get to enjoy them with her. While you cannot truly appreciate them from the recipe, hopefully my story will help you understand that a cookie can be more than just the sum of its ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:
1 bag ++ (14 oz) sweetened flaked coconut (I sometimes add about 1/2 cup more coconut, depending on the humidity of the weather and the moisture of the egg whites as they are beaten.)
3 egg whites at room temperature, beaten to stiff peak. ( I use the dried egg whites and add water as directed on package.)
1/8 ts. cream of tarter
1/8 cup bakers suger (super fine granulated) or organic cane sugar
1/8 cup (or slightly less) locally harvested honey
1/4 ts. vanilla extract
1/2 ts. almond extract
pinch of salt
3/4 - 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips or non-dairy semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4-1cup sliced almonds, toasted

PREHEAT OVEN:
275 degrees F. Bake on parchment lined cookie sheet for 20-30 minutes or until toasted brownn on top.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare almonds by layering in single layer on cookie sheet pan. Toast in 350 degrees F oven until light brown....check every minute or so until light golden brown. Depending on oven, this usually takes less than 10 minutes. When almonds are browned, remove and immediately pour on parchment paper to cool. Beat egg whites in deep mixing bowl on high speed until stiff peak forms. Blend in cream of tarter, and slowly add sugar to egg white mixure. Add salt, vanilla and almond extract, beating at high speed. With spatula, fold/gently stir in, coconut,1/3 of package at at time. Gently stir in chocolate chips. Drop by heaping tablespoons on parchment-lined baking sheets. Top each cookie with a 'pinch' of toasted almonds, bake for approximately 25 minutes in a preheated 275 degree F oven, until coconut is toasted brown. Cool, remove from parchment.

MY COOKIE STORY:
I developed this recipe for my husband Greg (Sometimes I refer to him as Gregors :-)). We are health-conscious eaters, and my husband, who is a runner, particularly avoids refined flour and sugar. He has been buying commercially made macaroon cookies from our local health food store. I read the lable, seeing that they contained no flour, and used honey...and decided to develop my own cookie. These 'GREGORS' cookies are chewy and chocked full of coconut. The chocolate and almonds add great flavor to complement the coconut. My husband loves them.

2/3 cup Crisco shortening
1&1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
3/4 cup crushed pineapple drained

Preheat 325 degrees. Cream together: shortening, sugar, vanilla, & almond extract. Mix in egg & crushed pineapple. Add flour, baking powder. Mix well for 90 seconds. Drop rounded teaspoon size amount on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet to cool.

This delicious cookie is a family favorite. My husband's family had passed this recipe down from generation to generation. This cookie has rapidly become a family favorite on my side as well.

I have always enjoyed baking and cooking so, when the end of the school year approached and I had no extra money to buy teacher gifts, I decided to bake them. Now the teachers look forward to my home baked gifts each year and I have developed some of my own favorite recipes along the way. When I heard about your contest I decided I wanted to come up with a recipe for a cookie with the adult palate in mind, hence the "Dreamy Cappuccino Delights". The recipe is as follows:

1 C. Butter
1 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Sugar
1/4 C. Instant Coffee
2 Eggs
1 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
3 C. Unbleached All Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt (rounded)
1 1/2 C. Toffee Bits
2 C. Bittersweet Chocolate Chips or Chunks
1 1/2 C. toasted Sliced Almonds

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. After the oven is preheated, toast almonds in a single layer for approximately 5 minutes.You'll be able to smell when they are done. Take almonds out and cool. Meanwhile cream butter,brown sugar, sugar, and instant coffee. Add eggs one at a time, and finally the vanilla extract and beat until creamy. Mix together, with a wire whisk, the flour, baking soda and salt and gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. When the cookie batter is blended, stir in the toffee bits, bittersweet chocolate chips, and sliced almonds. Use a medium cookie scoop or large rounded tablespoons to drop on cookie sheets, 2 inches apart, and bake 18-22 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

parchment paper
5/8 cup applesauce
2/8 cup sunflower oil
1/2 cup evaporated cane juice
1/2 cup Domino brownlated sugar
2 egg whites from large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup all wheat free all purpose flour mix*
1/2 cup corn flour
1 tsp baking soda
10 oz bag of chocolate chips
*All purpose flour mix
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups white rice flour
1 cup potato starch flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Place parchment paper on baking sheets. In a 2-cup measureing cup, mix applesauce, oil, sugar and evaporated cane juice, egg whites vanilla, and corn flour. In a separate bowl, mix flour and baking soda. Pour the contents of the mixing cup into the flour/soda bowl. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough by tablespoons, 1 1/2 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets. Bake until cookies turn golden brown, about 13 to 15 minutes. Cool slightly, then transfer to a wire cake rack to cool completely.

This recipe is the result of trial and error of many regular chocolate chocolate chip cookie recipes. The idea was to removing trans fats such as butter and to incorporate an American favorite into a wheat free free diet.

Peanut Butter Cup Perfection Recipe

1 C. semi-sweet chocoalte chips
2 (2oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 C sugar
1/2 C Butter
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 C flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 C peanut butter chips
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
20 frozen mini peanut butter cups

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine 1 cup semi sweet choc. chips and 2 squares of choc. in bowl and microwave for 2 minutes on 50% heat. Repeat until smooth and melted. Cool slightly. Beat sugar and butter in a large bowl at medium speed. Beat in one egg at a time, then add salt and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add melted chocolate until well blended. Stir in flour and baking soda. In a food processor, chop up frozen peanut butter cups. Blend in remaining cup of semi sweet chocolate chips, cup of peanut butter chips and chopped up peanut butter cups. Mix well. Shape dough into 1 1/4 balls and place on to ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and place on cooling rack. Serve with a cup of cold milk and enjoy!

As a reward for donating to a local charity event, I announced the winning department in my office would receive homemade cookies. The night before the promised prize, I realized I didn't have enough chocolate chips. I checked my pantry and found some almonds and dried cherries and hoped for the best. The crispiness the almonds added to the cookie made these cookies an instant addition to my recipe book.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/2 cup almonds, raw and chopped

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda. In stand mixer combine butter and sugar until fluffy. Incorporate egg and vanilla then flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips, cherries and almonds. Scoop onto lined baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes, Let stand for 1 minute then transfer to rack for cooling.

Combine:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
In seperate bowl, combine:
1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Add:
2 eggs and beat well.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Pour sugar mixture into flour mixture, beating well with spoon. Add 2 cups sliced almonds Form 1-inch balls, spacing them2" apart on greased baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap, and flatten each ball as much as you can with flat bottom glass. Try to make them 1/4 inch thick. Bake in preheated oven for 9 minutes. Make a glaze with: 1/2 cup 10x sugar and enough water to make a runny consistency. Remove cookies from oven, and immediately paint each cookie with pastry brush dipped in sugar glaze. Remove from sheet. ENJOY !

i made up my cookies to cheer up my friends, giving them soothing names such as: Pajama Almond, Cozy Oat, Put-Your-Feet-Up-Fudge.

My Very Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie

2 3/4 cups flour (maybe a bit more)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1 cup butter flavor Crisco shortening
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup pecans (or walnuts)

First, combine flour, baking soda and spices in a bowl. Set aside. Second, beat shortening, sugars and vanilla in a large mixer until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. You may need to add a bit more flour (depending on how sticky it is) and you now you need to roll the dough into a log (about 4 cm diameter) on a floured surface. (sometimes it's easier to roll it between two sheets of waxed paper) Cut dough into 1 cm thick slices and place onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Best enjoyed warm from the oven! (yield varies according to dough consumption!)

This recipe was adapted from my family's favorite recipe, my neighbor's recipe and many trial and error batches from my own kitchen. It feels good to put my own stamp on a cookie recipe to call my own. Enjoy!

This recipe is my first success at baking cookies after years of botching every kind I've tried! My husband now says I have made it as a "baker."

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a large bowl, beat shortening, peanut butter, and sugars. Add eggs and beat again. In a small bowl, combine flour and soda, set aside. Gradually add dry ingredients and beat until creamy. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop on cookie sheet and bake for about 15 minutes.